North Yorkshire MP calls for crack-down on online ticket touts

A North Yorkshire MP has urged the Prime Minister to support a crack down on online ticket touts.

Speaking in yesterday’s PMQs, Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams asked the Government to back his efforts to make it a criminal offence.

The Tory MP has proposed an amendment to the Digital Economies Bill, making the use computers to “harvest” tickets from official sites illegal.

He argues this would “go a long way” to protecting consumers “and genuine music fans” from paying over-inflated prices.

Citing his own experience when trying to buy tickets for the forthcoming Green Day tour, he said: “I thought that I had successfully bought four tickets online for one of my favourite bands... only to be told that the tickets were unavailable and the gig was sold out.

“But within minutes I could buy the tickets on another site, for twice the price.

“It turns out that the ticket site had been the victim of a computerised attack by organised touts, who then resell tickets at inflated prices.

“Will the Prime Minister ask her Ministers to give close consideration to my amendment to the Digital Economy Bill?”

Responding to Mr Adams, the Prime Minister pointed out that a review on online ticket sales was carried out last year, following the passage of the Consumer Rights Act.

She stated that this review produced “a number of recommendations” for improvements, which the Government “will be looking at... very carefully to see what can be done.”